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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

From the author of more than a dozen New York Times best sellers and his son, comes the third installment of a brand-new fantasy trilogy written just for young readers.

After dueling with a dragon and a demon, Maimun knows he must destroy the stone that has kept him on the run for most of his life. The question now is how. With Joen by his side, Maimun journeys to the Tower of Twilight to beg famed wizard Malchor Harpell for answers. But Harpell’s help comes at a steep price.

Friends become enemies. Lost secrets come to light. And deep in the shadows, the sentinels are watching, scheming to save the stone—even if it means someone must die.

Featuring the sage wisdom of R.A. Salvatore’s beloved character Drizzt Do’Urden, this final book of the Stone of Tymora trilogy is packed with action, magic, intrigue, and a heart-stopping twist that Salvatore fans won’t want to miss.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

"To entertain and educate young minds by creating unique illustrated books to recount stories of human values, to arouse curiosity in the world around us, and to inspire by tales of great deeds of unforgettable people." This is Campfire's mission statement. If you have not heard of this up and coming graphic novel publisher, you can check them out by clicking here.

I love their classic title list and I believe their cutting-edge illustrations will captivate boys and draw them into the story. Graphic Novels are an innovative approach to get reluctant readers to read.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

You know about Brer Rabbit from the southern United States. You may also know about Anansi the Spider from West Africa. These animals are called “tricksters,” because they trick other animals in the stories. There are many trickster animals around the world, and stories told about one are often told about others.

Mouse Deer is the favorite trickster of Indonesia and Malaysia, two countries of Southeast Asia. But what is a mouse deer? It is an animal about the size of a cat, and it lives in the jungles of Africa, Asia, and many Pacific islands. It has the legs and the tail of a deer, and the face and the body of a mouse—but it is not really a mouse or a deer.

The mouse deer eats only plants, but lots of animals eat the mouse deer. To stay alive, it must be quick and smart. That is why the Indonesians and Malaysians have made Mouse Deer their favorite trickster. Any of their boys or girls can tell you tales about him.

We all owe a big thanks to Aaron Shepard for bringing Mouse Deer to the Web. Aaron is the award-winning author of The Legend of Lightning Larry, The Sea King’s Daughter, The Baker’s Dozen, and many more children’s books from publishers large and small. His stories have also appeared often in Cricket and Australia’s School Magazine.

Aaron’s specialty is retelling folktales and other traditional literature from around the world. His work has been honored by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Folklore Society, the New York Public Library, and the Bank Street College of Education. His stories are enjoyed by a wide range of young readers—as well as by adults—and are perfect for reading aloud.

On the Web, Aaron maintains an extensive collection of resources for teachers, librarians, storytellers, children’s writers, parents, and kids. His site has been viewed by over seven million visitors and has drawn over 25,000 visitors a week. Among its offerings is the Web’s premier collection of free reader’s theater scripts, used in schools and libraries around the world.

An acclaimed author with real kid appeal, Aaron takes pleasure in sharing the magic of story.

Boys Read

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Boys Read’s mission is to transform boys into lifelong readers. We’re an organization of parents, educators, librarians, mentors, authors, and booksellers. We accept submissions for our blog. Do you have a book that appeals to boys? Please submit a brief synopsis and a jpeg file of your cover. If acceptable, we will post your unique book.